Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026

Equine Enteric Glial Culture and Application to the Study of a Neural Inflammatory Mechanism in Equine Colic
Published on: October 4, 2024
The digestive neuronal-glial-epithelial unit: a new actor in gut health and disease
Michel Neunlist1, Laurianne Van Landeghem, Maxime M Mahé
1INSERM UMR913, Institut des Maladies de l'Appareil Digestif, Université de Nantes, CHU Hôtel Dieu, 1 place Alexis Ricordeau, 44093 Nantes, France. michel.neunlist@univ-nantes.fr
Abstract:
The monolayer of columnar epithelial cells lining the gastrointestinal tract--the intestinal epithelial barrier (IEB)--is the largest exchange surface between the body and the external environment. The permeability of the IEB has a central role in the regulation of fluid and nutrient intake as well as in the control of the passage of pathogens. The functions of the IEB are highly regulated by luminal as well as internal components, such as bacteria or immune cells, respectively. Evidence indicates that two cell types of the enteric nervous system (ENS), namely enteric neurons and enteric glial cells, are potent modulators of IEB functions, giving rise to the novel concept of a digestive 'neuronal-glial-epithelial unit' akin to the neuronal-glial-endothelial unit in the brain. In this Review, we summarize findings demonstrating that the ENS is a key regulator of IEB function and is actively involved in pathologies associated with altered barrier function.
Related Concept Videos
Physiology of Enteric Nervous System and Gut Health
Gut-Brain Axis
Functions of the Gut Microbiota
Enteric Nervous System: Regulation of GI Motor Activity
During periods of fasting, the ENS initiates the migrating myoelectric complex, a program...
Neural Regulation
Nerve Supply of the GI Tract
The enteric nervous system consists of two major plexuses: the myenteric plexus (Auerbach's plexus) and the submucosal plexus (Meissner's plexus). These plexuses are located within the layers of the GI tract...
